Examples of Mura and Muri to be used in Training - Key Concepts on Lean Manufacturing

[trainee]

Hello everybody!

I'm preparing a training for my people regarding Key concepts on lean manufacturing and elimination/reduction of waste.

I would like to explain about MURA and MURI with examples more related to the work space than just words.
I want them to participate on the training so they are interested and active during it.
This is what I'm planning on doing:
At the beggining of the training three teams will be formed and they will receive an envelope for team with the japanese symbol, the explanation of the word (muda, muri, mura) and a few examples.
The first part of the training will be about lean manufacturing and its principles and after that they will have 10 minutes and each team must come with a way to explain the rest the meaning of the word, either with a drawing, a dramatization or a sequence simulation (they will also have tools, crayons, markers, paper, and other material). After each team does this I will explain it a little bit further so everybody understands and then I will start explaining about value added-non value added-waste.
Then, before I start explaining the seven wastes, I will give them a break of 10 minutes and at the end of this 7 participants will receive another envelope with one of the wastes explained. They will have 15 minutes to prepare something for us regarding them, and I will be after that completing the explanation.
After that we will we walking around their workspace to point as many wastes as we can find and we will point them in a chart, identifying where it belongs to (motion, defect, waiting....). We will talk about them and we will have a break.
After that break we will have a brainstorm regarding what they found and we will come with a task list of things to do.
That's my idea in a roughly way, I know I still have to polish it a little, but that's the main idea. The goal is to introduce them to lean in a practical way and to do a small project in the area.
If you have any input, ideas or example, they will be very much appreciated.
thanks!

[BradM]

Hello there!

First, I am not too familar with the terms you're using, so I'll have to work around them for the moment.

I think your outline is pretty good. As I am not a Subject Matter Expert, I'm not totally certain if the steps you are taken are good ones. However, I might suggest the following:

Get them interested before they come to the training. Put yourself in their shoes. Why would they be concerned? Why would they care? The more you can elicit an interest/ reference point in them before they get there, the more your training session will take.

Will this appeal to their environmental awareness side? Or is this an economic issue? Possibly having information towards the purpose would benefit.

I have always enjoyed pictures. Make take a picture of work places where things are out of order (make sure they're not obvious whose area it is). Give a prize to who picks out the five (or however many things) are out of order. Several before/after pictures might be good.

Maybe set up some make-shift workstations and show how your initiatives will help them do their job better.

Just a few general thoughts. I hope they help.

[Stijloor]

In Reply to Parent Post by BradM

Hello there!

First, I am not too familar with the terms you're using, so I'll have to work around them for the moment.

Hello Brad,

This is for you.

Stijloor.

[BradM]

As always Stijloor, you're the man! Thank you. I had done a quick look for some info on it, but did not find much. Plus, I did not want to seem like I was familar with the terms or anything.

The second or third "hit" on your query (the one with the PDF) was interesting.

[trainee]

Thanks for the responses y'all!
Brad, I like to walk around the plant and talk to them and keep them informed about any training or event we may have. And I encourage them to start working on the suggestions asking them questions and helping them understand the flow or work (although, sometimes they are the ones explaining me the why of things).
What i want with the training is get them involved and teach them to see their work space in a more critical and creative way.
I'm going to check the links to see all that information.
I'm not planning on using Ice breaker because they all know each other. However i think i will do a warm up activity related to lean just to "Wake them up" before the training.
Any suggestions?

[RCBeyette]

I am by no means an expert on lean, but when it comes to training, you need to have a clear set of objectives on what you wish for the group to walk away with. I'm not feeling all too comfortable that this training session has expected outputs.

In Reply to Parent Post by trainee

I would like to explain about MURA and MURI with examples more related to the work space than just words.
I want them to participate on the training so they are interested and active during it.

That's good! It explains what you expect from the training...but what are your expectations for them? More importantly, what are their expectations? What will they gain from this session? Where is the added value for them to take time from work and participate?

In Reply to Parent Post by trainee

At the beggining of the training three teams will be formed and they will receive an envelope for team with the japanese symbol, the explanation of the word (muda, muri, mura) and a few examples.

What is the size of each team? How will the more quiet people become involved in this session?

In Reply to Parent Post by trainee

The first part of the training will be about lean manufacturing and its principles and after that they will have 10 minutes and each team must come with a way to explain the rest the meaning of the word, either with a drawing, a dramatization or a sequence simulation (they will also have tools, crayons, markers, paper, and other material).

What about how it applies to them? Will you talk about that or are you reviewing the theory of lean with them and expecting them to understand how it applies to the functions? Is the symbol that important or is it just a distraction to the whole exercise? Will they understand how they fit into the whole culture of lean and within their own organization?

In Reply to Parent Post by trainee

After each team does this I will explain it a little bit further so everybody understands and then I will start explaining about value added-non value added-waste.

Not to sound sarcastic here, but are you saying that the teams won't do a good-enough job at explaining the terms during their demonstrations? Why not take the opportunity after each team to explain anything they may have overlooked or, better yet - and more positive - elaborate on some of the key concepts of the term?

In Reply to Parent Post by trainee

Then, before I start explaining the seven wastes, I will give them a break of 10 minutes and at the end of this 7 participants will receive another envelope with one of the wastes explained. They will have 15 minutes to prepare something for us regarding them, and I will be after that completing the explanation.

I'm confused. Are you explaining the wastes or are they? Again, how do the wastes relate to them? This should be included. Or, if people are from various departments, select various 'every day' situations. There are videos out there like one of a guy making toast and all the wastes in the process. It's funny, simple but educational and effective.

In Reply to Parent Post by trainee

After that we will we walking around their workspace to point as many wastes as we can find and we will point them in a chart, identifying where it belongs to (motion, defect, waiting....). We will talk about them and we will have a break.

Not sure if I like this if it becomes personal. No one wants to hear that they're ineffective. What if they return to their own areas to highlight areas of waste instead of having others point it out for them? Save the group waste-highlighting session for an actual event.

Just my $0.02 Canadian...

[trainee]

Wow!
You just have make me doubt the whole point of everything.
Maybe i didn't explain myself very good. As I said before this is just a draft, and my thoughts so far...
My operation is starting with CI, and basically we want to train our people in key concepts. They will learn how to identify opportunities to improve their area.
It's going to be hopefully, the production line and they are about 10 so it will be two groups of 3 and one of 4.
The whole point of putting this in the forum was for people to help me polish this and to suggest things that will help the training to be succesful.
How the principles applies to them is part of the training. It doesn't make much sense to explain things and not point relationships to what we do...it's just empty words then.

Not to sound sarcastic here, but are you saying that the teams won't do a good-enough job at explaining the terms during their demonstrations? Why not take the opportunity after each team to explain anything they may have overlooked or, better yet, elaborate on some of the key concepts of the term?

When I said I'll explain i meant, i'll complete whatever they overlooked, and will elaborate on the term.

I'm confused. Are you explaining the wastes or are they? Again, how do the wastes related to them? This should be included. Or, if people are from various departments, select various 'every day' situations. There are videos out there like one of a guy making toast and all the wastes in the process. It's funny, simple but educational and effective.

Everything that I will explain and they will explain will relate to their jobs and/or everyday life. The whole point here is them to be able to understand. Every time i say I'll explain after them all I mean is i will complete, elaborate.
Do you know where I can find that video of the guy making toast?

Not sure if I like this if it becomes personal. No one wants to hear that they're ineffective. What if they return to their own areas to highlight areas of waste instead of having others point it out for them? Save the group waste-highlighting session for an actual event

.

I understand that part. They all share the same area, and they have done more than one activity, so all of them know the work areas pretty well. We will just identify what kind of waste it belongs to.

[RCBeyette]

It was not my intent, Trainee, for you to start doubting your training methodology, but as someone who will be attempting to discuss lean and eliminating waste from an organzation, I am certain that you can appreciate the concept of ensuring that the training is value-added! Let's look at the word "muda" - waste, or as defined in Lean Thinking (James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones) "...any human activity which absorbs resources but creates no value." You certainly do not wish for people to walk away thinking that it's a wonderful idea but have no idea what the next steps are to adopt this into their own working lifestyle.

In Reply to Parent Post by trainee

Maybe i didn't explain myself very good. As I said before this is just a draft, and my thoughts so far...

It may be a draft, but the post was not 'reader friendly' and I believe that, after reading your last post, that perhaps some key details were left out of the original post. I realize that a draft will not provide all of the details, but you may wish to provide the course layout in a point form with topics and objectives. Just a thought...besides, such a format may benefit your students, too.

In Reply to Parent Post by trainee

My operation is starting with CI, and basically we want to train our people in key concepts.

Why?

In Reply to Parent Post by trainee

They will learn how to identify opportunities to improve their area.

Why?

I know that I sound like a broken record but why are you doing all of this? Why does the organization wish for this to succeed? Why should the people wish for this to succeed?

In this day when organizations say they're lean, the focus tends to be on "waste of people" and the more highlighted result of lean implementation is massive layoffs. Does your training address this fear? Does your training address change management?

In Reply to Parent Post by trainee

It's going to be hopefully, the production line and they are about 10 so it will be two groups of 3 and one of 4.

Will it be people who understand the process? Who the Customer is? Who their Supplier is?

In Reply to Parent Post by trainee

The whole point of putting this in the forum was for people to help me polish this and to suggest things that will help the training to be succesful.

I apologize if you believe that I'm putting your training down. That is not at all what my intentions were. I just want to ensure that your training addresses the needs of the audience and isn't simply training for the sake of training.

In Reply to Parent Post by trainee

How the principles applies to them is part of the training. It doesn't make much sense to explain things and not point relationships to what we do...it's just empty words then.

I agree.

In Reply to Parent Post by trainee

When I said I'll explain i meant, i'll complete whatever they overlooked, and will elaborate on the term.

Hopefully, they will not overlook anything and instead you can focus on the positive things they said and highlight the key concepts of the word/term.

In Reply to Parent Post by trainee

Do you know where I can find that video of the guy making toast?

The best that I can suggest is google with the key words of "Kaizen toast video". Each time I try, my internet connection fails...I think my computer is allergic to toast.